the top then turn around to see a good view of central Oxford and its
spires. Facing downhill, take the path to your right which runs past small
ponds to the gate onto Harcourt Hill. To visit the Conduit House (see
photo), turn left and walk about 100 yards down the hill and follow the
signs. You can’t go inside, but you can marvel at the ancient graffiti
scratched into the stone. The 17th century conduit took water from local
streams to the city, and the original water course, recently unblocked
thanks to local efforts, runs through the end of North Hinksey village. On
your way again, carry on uphill past Brookes Harcourt Hill campus. At
the end of the road, continue straight on for about a mile, ignoring the
gate on your right. This footpath is tree-lined and starts off quite wide
but narrows towards the end. Where the trees end you will find yourself
at a crossroads with a major footpath (the Chilswell Path). Turn right
and follow this new footpath to Hurst Lane, passing the small wood that
is Cumnor Hurst on your left. Turn left up Hurst Lane and at the end
cross Cumnor Hill. Walk a few yards uphill and then climb over a stile at
the start of two footpaths. The one to the left leads to Chawley Village,
but you should take the right hand path alongside Long Copse. Follow
this footpath downhill across open grassland. As you near the A420 you
walk past some rushes and pass through a few trees to a double gate
which takes you through to a final field. Head towards the gate in the far
right hand corner and continue through to Orchard Road and past St
Andrew’s Church to Eynsham Road. Turn right and after about 50 yards
cross Eynsham Road and walk down Fogwell Road.
Enter the playing field on your left and walk past swings and exercise
machines to the trees on the
far right side. Here about half
way between the exercise
machines and the bmx bike
area (see photo), a path runs
through a gap in the trees
over a plank. This leads to
the start of an open area of
trees and grassland between
Fogwell Rd Estate and the
A420. Continue until you can
go no further in that direction,
when you turn right into the end of Fogwell Road.
Walk down this end section of Fogwell Road and continue along a
7